diff --git a/crates/artifact/src/methods.rs b/crates/artifact/src/methods.rs
index 76683cf..204b61f 100644
--- a/crates/artifact/src/methods.rs
+++ b/crates/artifact/src/methods.rs
@@ -104,11 +104,7 @@ where
   Id: core_types::CoreId,
   T: serde::Serialize + for<'a> serde::Deserialize<'a> + Clone,
 {
-  let client = clients::surreal::SurrealRootClient::new()
-    .await
-    .wrap_err("Failed to create surreal client")?;
-
-  client.use_ns("main").use_db("main").await?;
+  let client = clients::surreal::SurrealRootClient::new().await?;
 
   let pushed_artifact: Vec<T> = client
     .create(Id::TABLE)
@@ -129,11 +125,8 @@ where
   Id: core_types::CoreId<Model = T>,
   T: serde::Serialize + for<'a> serde::Deserialize<'a> + Clone,
 {
-  let client = clients::surreal::SurrealRootClient::new()
-    .await
-    .wrap_err("Failed to create surreal client")?;
+  let client = clients::surreal::SurrealRootClient::new().await?;
 
-  client.use_ns("main").use_db("main").await?;
   let artifact: Option<T> = client
     .select(id)
     .await
diff --git a/crates/auth/src/lib.rs b/crates/auth/src/lib.rs
index 60b38b6..6c775d6 100644
--- a/crates/auth/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/auth/src/lib.rs
@@ -144,14 +144,9 @@ pub async fn build_auth_layer() -> Result<
     tower_sessions_surrealdb_store::SurrealSessionStore<Client>,
   >,
 > {
-  let session_store_surreal_client =
-    clients::surreal::SurrealRootClient::new().await?;
-  session_store_surreal_client
-    .use_ns("main")
-    .use_db("main")
-    .await?;
+  let surreal_client = clients::surreal::SurrealRootClient::new().await?;
   let session_store = tower_sessions_surrealdb_store::SurrealSessionStore::new(
-    session_store_surreal_client.into_inner(),
+    surreal_client.into_inner(),
     "user_session".to_string(),
   );
   let session_manager_layer =
diff --git a/crates/bl/src/fetch.rs b/crates/bl/src/fetch.rs
index 0f0a576..db35375 100644
--- a/crates/bl/src/fetch.rs
+++ b/crates/bl/src/fetch.rs
@@ -14,14 +14,7 @@ pub async fn fetch_user_owned_photo_groups(
   use core_types::CoreId;
 
   async move {
-    let client = SurrealRootClient::new()
-      .await
-      .wrap_err("Failed to create surreal client")?;
-    client
-      .use_ns("main")
-      .use_db("main")
-      .await
-      .wrap_err("Failed to use surreal namespace/database")?;
+    let client = SurrealRootClient::new().await?;
 
     let mut result = client
       .query(format!(
@@ -60,14 +53,7 @@ pub async fn fetch_photo_group(
   use crate::model_ext::ModelExt;
 
   async move {
-    let client = SurrealRootClient::new()
-      .await
-      .wrap_err("Failed to create surreal client")?;
-    client
-      .use_ns("main")
-      .use_db("main")
-      .await
-      .wrap_err("Failed to use surreal namespace/database")?;
+    let client = SurrealRootClient::new().await?;
 
     let group = core_types::PhotoGroup::fetch(photo_group_id, &client)
       .await
@@ -97,14 +83,7 @@ pub async fn fetch_user(
   use crate::model_ext::ModelExt;
 
   async move {
-    let client = SurrealRootClient::new()
-      .await
-      .wrap_err("Failed to create surreal client")?;
-    client
-      .use_ns("main")
-      .use_db("main")
-      .await
-      .wrap_err("Failed to use surreal namespace/database")?;
+    let client = SurrealRootClient::new().await?;
 
     core_types::User::fetch(user_id, &client)
       .await
@@ -136,11 +115,6 @@ pub async fn fetch_photo_thumbnail(
   async move {
     // prep the surreal client
     let client = SurrealRootClient::new().await?;
-    client
-      .use_ns("main")
-      .use_db("main")
-      .await
-      .wrap_err("Failed to start surreal client")?;
 
     let photo = core_types::Photo::fetch(photo_id, &client)
       .await
diff --git a/crates/bl/src/upload/mod.rs b/crates/bl/src/upload/mod.rs
index d95b330..4ad6998 100644
--- a/crates/bl/src/upload/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/bl/src/upload/mod.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ pub async fn upload_photo_group(
   let Some(user) =
     leptos::use_context::<core_types::LoggedInUser>().and_then(|u| u.0)
   else {
-    return Err(PhotoUploadError::Unauthenticated.into());
+    Err(PhotoUploadError::Unauthenticated)?
   };
 
   let (tx, mut rx) = mpsc::channel(params.photos.len());
@@ -103,17 +103,11 @@ pub async fn upload_photo_group(
   let client =
     clients::surreal::SurrealRootClient::new()
       .await
-      .map_err(|_| {
-        PhotoUploadError::InternalError(
-          "Failed to create surreal client".to_string(),
-        )
+      .map_err(|e| {
+        let error = e.to_string();
+        tracing::error!("Failed to create surreal client: {}", error);
+        PhotoUploadError::InternalError(error)
       })?;
-  client.use_ns("main").use_db("main").await.map_err(|e| {
-    PhotoUploadError::InternalError(format!(
-      "Failed to use surreal namespace/database: {}",
-      e
-    ))
-  })?;
 
   // create photo group
   group.create(&client).await.map_err(|e| {
@@ -224,14 +218,7 @@ async fn create_photo(img: image::DynamicImage) -> Result<PhotoRecordId> {
     meta:      Default::default(),
   };
 
-  let client = clients::surreal::SurrealRootClient::new()
-    .await
-    .wrap_err("Failed to create surreal client")?;
-  client
-    .use_ns("main")
-    .use_db("main")
-    .await
-    .wrap_err("Failed to use surreal namespace/database")?;
+  let client = clients::surreal::SurrealRootClient::new().await?;
 
   photo
     .create(&client)
diff --git a/crates/clients/src/surreal.rs b/crates/clients/src/surreal.rs
index 4447a53..13d5bee 100644
--- a/crates/clients/src/surreal.rs
+++ b/crates/clients/src/surreal.rs
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ impl SurrealRootClient {
 
     let client = Self { client };
     client.sign_in_as_root().await?;
+    client.use_main().await?;
 
     Ok(client)
   }
@@ -55,6 +56,16 @@ impl SurrealRootClient {
 
   /// Consumes the client and returns the inner client.
   pub fn into_inner(self) -> surrealdb::Surreal<Client> { self.client }
+
+  /// Uses the main namespace and database.
+  pub async fn use_main(&self) -> Result<()> {
+    self
+      .client
+      .use_ns("main")
+      .use_db("main")
+      .await
+      .wrap_err("Failed to use main namespace/database")
+  }
 }
 
 impl Deref for SurrealRootClient {